Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA)

What is PREA

In September of 2003, the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) was signed into law. PREA was created to eliminate sexual abuse in confinement settings. PREA is a federal law to guide correctional institutions about detecting, preventing, reducing, and punishing sexual abuse/misconduct in confinement settings. This law applies to all federal and state prisons, jails, police lock-ups, private facilities, juvenile facilities, and community correctional settings.

WCSO's Zero Tolerance Policy

Washoe County Sheriff's Department has established a zero tolerance policy for the incidence of detention rape and sex-related offenses and attempts thereof. The Department will make the prevention of detention rape a top priority. The Department will strictly enforce all federal, state and local laws regarding inmate sexual misconduct, threats of sexual assault or intimidation by providing clear definitions of prohibited conduct, establishing uniform methods of the prompt reporting and investigation of allegations of sex-related offenses or threat, identification of predators, protection of victims and prescribing sanctions for substantiated sexual offenses as well as false allegations.

Inmates are encouraged to immediately report allegations of sexual assault, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment to a WCSO staff member, medical staff, mental health staff, contractor or volunteer, or by submitting a PREA Grievance on the housing unit Kiosk, writing a PREA Grievance and placing it into the housing unit PREA Confidentiality Box, or by calling the Crime Tip Hotline number posted in their housing unit.

An inmate may feel more comfortable reporting sexual assault, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment to a family member or friend. To report a sexual assault or sexual harassment incident on behalf of an inmate, who is or has been in our custody, you can: